One minute you are swanning around the main arena at Badminton and then before you know it you are back to bread and butter and leaving home at 4am for Aston le Walls on the Wednesday between Badminton and Belsay International. Jess and Beth were the girls on duty today and as always they ran a smooth operation.
Tim had just two intermediates this morning with Gloire de Marchenval (Louis) and The Highlander (Ivar) and Jonelle had the Classic Moet sisters Faerie Usain (Maude) and Faerie Good Golly as well as I like it de Rohan (Kiki) in the novice which meant it was a bit of a drawn out day.
Louis is as reliable as they come and he banged out a 29 test before executing some smart moves in the all weather showjumping. His 4 faults came courtesy of him going sky high over an oxer and coming down on the back rail to bounce it out of the cups and he then went cross country in Tim’s ‘XC school’ rhythm which was lovely to watch. Whether Tim is going 575 metres per minute at 5 star or 1500 a minute in school mode he always hits a rhythm and sticks with it which is so impressive to watch. The in of the water close to home was a brush with a big drop on landing and Louis picked up well in front, dropped his back end on the brush as he saw the water and then flicked it back up again instinctively which is such a cool natural reaction and will save him numerous 11 penalties for a a dropped pin in the future as he progresses up the levels.
The Highlander ( Ivar) was well placed after dressage with a 26.4 and it was Highland Airways in the showjumping as Ivar has clearly been chatting with Falco and has decided that he should copy his idols way of going. Falco has perfected it in such a way that it looks smooth whereas Ivar is still in the fighter-jet-off-the-warship mode which is slightly erratic but no less effective. Ivar left all the poles in place and set himself up for a lovely win after a great cross country round. Tim felt that sending him forward made the jump less helicopter and more ‘normal’ and since Aston has lashed copious amounts of water on the track it was a good opportunity to let him run.
Jonelle was pleasing the judges this morning with Golly to score a 29.6 but not so much on Maude for a 37.1. They really are chalk and cheese, although they were in different sections judges either love or hate Golly and Maude! Golly rocked up to the showjumping thinking she was super woman and bounced around the track for a clear whilst Maude jumped a beautiful first third, copped fence 5, blamed Jonelle and stuck her head in the air, copped fence 6 and then jumped home looking pure class. As Jonelle says, it’s just something she is going to have to work through as she has the attitude of a chippy communist with the assurance of a private school education. It is without doubt a mix that will be enviable as she rises through the ranks but right now it’s a political minefield to walk!
They both went cross country with similar time faults to tick the box of their intermediate education and got to hang out at the truck sunbathing whilst they watched Kiki do the novice. Maude is indifferent to those below the salt but Golly was actively pretty nasty to newcomer Kiki until Jonelle swiped Golly with a number bib to put her back in her place. It’s playground politics for sure amongst the up and comers.
Kiki scored a 34, picked up a single rail ( she did have some 2 hours wait between her dressage and SJ so could be forgiven to have been caught napping) and then executed a lovely clear cross country.
Jess and Beth then headed back south to Chedington for the Maxi horsebox to turnaround to leave at 3am tomorrow for Belsay. Tim and Jonelle were undecided as to plans but will probably stay up north somewhere tonight and meet up with the Belsay horses en route tomorrow. As always it’s a testament to the whole team that everything works like clockwork and it is every single member of the crew at Chedington that make this possible but Team Manager Rosie Thomas is all over the logistics and this is a complicated week for sure. Shout out to the Chedington crew!